Hair and head protecting bonnet



United states Patent 1 Julia JQCorey A I [72] Inventor: 1

1430 l-lolborn Drive, NJW., Grand 1 Rapids, Michigan 49504 [21] ApplicationNoJ 785,061 j [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1968 [45] Patented: Aug. 4, 1970 i I i abandoned.

Continuation of Ser. No. 461,895, June 7, 1965, now

[54] HAIR AND HEAD PROTECTING BONNET 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. CL...a 132/49 [51] Int. Cl. A45d 8/40 [50] Field ofSearch l32/l,9, 49; 128/462; 223/67; 2/174 [5 6] 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,899 Mogridge 2/3 3,197,787 8/1965 Toynan et al .1 1 2/174 FOREIGN PATENTS 250,771 7/1948 Switzerland 132/9 Primary Examiner- Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner- J. A. Oliff Attorney-Price, Heneveld, 'Huizenga and Cooper ABSTRACT: A hair and head protecting bonnet particu- I larly for protecting the head of the wearer from being pricked and pierced by curlers in the hair which has been set. The bonnet includes highly flexible layers containing at least one inflatable and deflatable air pocket which deforms and encompasses the curlers to minimize any forces of the curlers being imparted to the head.

Patented Aug. 4, 1970 INVENTOR.

JUN/4 1/. COEfV BY? M;

ATTORNEYS -is sleeping.

This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 461,895, filed June 7, 1965. now abandoned.

This invention relates to a hair and head protecting bonnet, and more particularly to anew and unusual bonnet for protecting hair which has been set and preventing curlers, if still in the hair, from pricking and piercing the head when a person As is well known, it has long been a vexatious and irritating problem for women to treat their hair and place it in curling apparatus prior to the night's sleep, as is by far the most typical procedure, since upon retiring, the pressure of the head as it reclines against the pillow forces the curling apparatus into the scalp. This is an annoying and irritating experience, and may at times actually be painful. Consequently, the manufacturers of curling apparatus have long been concerned with the development of new types of curlers and the like whose purpose is to decrease the discomfort to the wearer under the foregoing conditions, insofar as this isv possible. Nonetheless, the problem appears to persist, to cause fitful slumber and imperfect results from the curling procedure.

Furthermore, movements made during the night may at times cause the curlers to become disengaged from the hair. whereupon the curlers are free to move into positions where they may be rolled upon during the night, causing even further discomfort. Also; even when the hair has previously been curled and curlers are not worn to bed, the pressure of the head against the pillow and the normal movements made during sleep will crush, disarrange and snarl the curled hair, so that upon arising considerable extra effort may be required to arrange the hair once again.

Various sleeping bonnets have been devised to counteract the latter problem and that of the dislodged curlers, but the effect of such bonnets is extremely marginal, since they are merely a single layer of usually rather light and soft material, apparently designed for appearance more than anything else.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for protecting the hair and the head of the wearer from the irritating pressures of curlers, and for cushioning the head in a manner which greatly diminishes the normal disarranging effects of sleeping, which apparatus includes multiple layers of material forming cushioning pockets therebetween.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a protective apparatus of the foregoing nature having cushioning pockets which are filled with a highly deformable medium.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shielding apparatus having cushioning pockets formed therein, which pockets are equipped with meansfor introducing and withdrawing the deformable medium therefrom, and for adjusting and varying the particular amount of such medium therein.

Still another further object of this invention is to provide a protecting apparatusofthe foregoing nature, which further includes means for .varying the effective size of the apparatus and for securing the apparatus to the head of the wearer in a desired position.

The foregoing important objects of the invention, together with additional objects and multiple advantages provided thereby, will become increasingly apparent following consideration of the ensuing specification and its appended claims, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings setting forth a preferred embodiment thereof.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side pictorial view, partially in section, illustrating the general nature of the apparatus, certain specific details thereof, and the manner of using the same;

FIGURE 2 is an enlargedQfragmentary, elevational view,

partially in section, illustrating further details of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, plan view of the apparatus, showing further details thereof; and

lFllGlUlRE 4 is a second side pictorial view partially in section illustrating further usage of the invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides a novel bonnet-type apparatus for cushioning curled hair and protecting those areas of the human head beneath the hair. The apparatus includes a first covering layer of very flexible,

generally imperforate material, which is ofa size and shape to.

substantially conform to the selected area of the head. It further includes at least one additional covering layer of the same type of material which is ofa size and shape to conform to the first layer, and the separate layers are secured together around their periphery to provide at least one pocket therebetween for containing a deformable cushioning medium, preferably a fluid. Means are provided for introducing the said medium into the pocket, and for adjusting the amount contained therein to vary the cushioning effect provided by the protecting bonnet apparatus. Further, the apparatus preferably includes means for varying its effective size, and for securing it to the head of the wearer in a desired position relative thereto.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 a representative human is depicted reclining in a sleeping position upon a pillow, in a typical manner. Secured in a desired position about the top, rear, and side portions of the head is the novel protecting bonnet apparatus 10 of the present invention. It will be observed from this figure that the apparatus 10 preferably includes three juxtaposed layers 12, 14, and 16, respectively, of covering material which are positioned in spaced relation to define a pair of adjacent pocket sections 18 and 20., respectively. As will be observed from the figure, the hair beneath the protective apparatus 10 has been coiled upon curlers, which are assumed to be of a typical type, and the pockets l8 and 20 of the apparatus serve to cushion the curled hair away from the pillow by providing a space into which the pressure of the reclining head may yieldingly push the coils of hair.

Further details of the protecting apparatus 10 are seen in lFllGlUlRlE 2. Here the three layers of covering material 12, 14, and 16 are shown to illustrate the manner in which they are joined to form the outer edge or perimeter of the apparatus. These layers are preferably formed from a typical plastic or plasticized fabric material which, in addition to being generally soft and highly flexible, is also imperforate and impervious to all typical fluids. As will be understood, each of i the layers should preferably be formed to have a generally concave contour which conforms to the portions of the head which the apparatus is to cover. The layers are secured together completely around their perimeters in the manner indicated at 22, preferably as by bonding the plastic material together under heat and pressure, through the use of known techniques.

The pockets l8 and 20 formed between the three separate layers will thus be fluid-tight, and will retain a resilient, deformable, cushioning medium placed therein. This is preferably accomplished through the use of the two valve means 24 and 26. These will be recognized as being a known type of manually actuable air valve of the sort frequently used on inflatable sporting equipment. Such a valve typically is made of a plastic or like substance, and includes a collar member which is inserted into a suitable aperture in the layer material and a flexibly attached valve member having a projecting portion which may be inserted into a central aperture in the collar to seal the valve structure against the passage of fluid therethrough. A secure friction fit is normally provided between the collar aperture and the projecting member, so that once the latter has been inserted therein, it remains in place until deliberately withdrawn, as to exhaust fluid from the pocket or to insert more fluid thereinto.

As lFllG. 2 further illustrates, the perimetral seam 22 joining together layers 12, 14, and 16 preferably is formed by laying the three layers atop each other near their edges, and sealing them in this position. As is illustrated, however, the inner and outer layers 12 and 16, respectively, preferably extend beyond the medial layer 14 a brief distance, and the inner and outer layers are preferably sealed together a brief distance beyond the end of medial layer 14. This provides an open passage 28 defined between the various layers, which extends substantially completely around the perimeter of the protective apparatus 10.

As FIG. 3 illustrates, access into the perimetral passage 28 is provided by an appropriate slit or opening 30 which extends through layer portions 12 and 16, but does not interrupt the perimetral seal or seam 22. A draw-string 32 is inserted through the passage 28 to extend about the periphery of the protective apparatus, with the ends of the draw-string protruding from the opening 30 in the passage. The draw-string may be used to gather the perimeter of the apparatus securely about the head in a desired position, and the string may then be tied in an appropriate manner, as by the bow designated 34, which is also seen in FIG. l. Finally, an added ribbon or ribbon-like strap 36 (FIG. I) may be secured to the rear extremity of the protective apparatus opposite the bow 34, so that the strap may be extended about the throat of the wearer beneath the chin, to be tied in this position in order to secure the retention of the apparatus upon the head in the desired position.

in order to use the novel protective apparatus of this invention, once the hair has been curled in the desired manner, the valve means 24 and 26 are opened and the pockets l8 and are inflated, as by blowing air through the valve. When a desired degree of inflation has been provided, the valves are closed to retain the air within the pockets. The bonnet is then slipped over the head in a comfortable position, as for example is shown in FIG. I, and the draw-string 32 is drawn moderately tight so that the perimeter of the apparatusfirml'y encircles the top, rear, and sides of the head. The draw-string is then secured in this position, as by tying it in a bow 34. The

apparatus is actually quite securely retained merely by use of the draw-string, but if added retention is desired, the ribbonis very little tendency for them to be dislodged, if one of them should in fact be dislodged from the hair, it will not be free to roll out into the bed to cause further discomfort, but will instead merely be retained within the protecting apparatus.

Many further advantages of the present apparatus will be completely clear now that the same has been fully explained. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, even though curlers are not being used, the apparatus is nonetheless advantageous, since its cushioning effect preserves previously curled and arranged hair throughout the night and avoids much of the normal mussingand snarling. The pockets within the apparatus may be made large enough to contain such a quantity of air or other fluid as to obviate the necessity of using any pillow at all, and in this manner a very pleasant buoyant cushion for the head is provided. By using the apparatus in the aforementioned manner, normal discomfort is avoided, and the minor abrasions and injuries to the scalp which attend the use of certaincurlersarealmosteompletel eliminated.

While I have shown and escribedherein a specific Further, structural variations and modifications of the embodiment shown herein are likely to be suggested by a study thereof. 3

l claim: 1. A bonnet for use with hair which is set up with cylindrical curlers about which portions ofthe hair is wound and for pro- I tecting the area of the human head under the curlers, comprising in combination: a first highly flexible covering layer of generally imperforate material adapted to substantially conform to the area covered by said hair; a second covering layer of highly-flexible imperforate material adapted to substantially conform to said first layer; a third covering layer of highly flexlike strap 36 is secured about the throat ofthe wearer and tied I in a suitable bow beneath her chin.

The wearer may then perform all normal activities, and may deforms under pressure to cushion the curlers against the pillow, such that the normal annoying influence exerted by these curlers is absorbed by the resilience of the inflated pockets, rather than being exerted strictly against the head and scalp of the wearer. Consequently, little or no discomfort results, and the underlying problem is almost completely alleviated. Further, the curls of hair are not subjected to the normal disturbing movements which take place during sleep and consequently they undergo far less mussing during the night, with the result that in the morning when the apparatus is removed, the curled hair is in much the same shape it was in when the apparatus was first put on and the wearer retired for the night.

Additionally, although the curlers are so cushioned that there retire for the night. As the head is reclined against the pillow, the air or other fluid entrapped within thepockets l8 and 20 ible imperforate' material adapted to substantially conform to said'first layer, said first, second, and third layers secured together in airtight fashion to provide a first airtight pocket between the first and second layer and a second airtight pocket between the second and third layer, each pocket being provided for containing air and ofa shape and size to generally encompass the entire hair and the said area ofthe head of the wearer, one of said pockets being of a thickness at least as great as the diameter of said curlers, and the composite layers with air therein being sufficiently flexible and deformable whereby forces exerted on the outside of said pocket and directed toward the curlers and head cause the curlers to deform said pockets so that portions thereof are encompassed by said layers and medium so as to minimize any such forcesv on said curls being imparted to the head; and air valve means for permitting the introduction of air into such pockets and removal of said air therefrom. 

